Those diverting funds meant for IDPs must be punished — Shehu Sani

Sen. Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) and Chairman, Senate ad hoc Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in the North East, on Sunday, said individuals found to have diverted government money meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) must be sanctioned.

Sani stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after a visit to Dalori IDPs camp in Maiduguri.

He said “our visit to Maiduguri is to investigate an alleged large-scale misappropriation of funds meant for the welfare of victims of insurgency in the North East.

“And from what we have seen here, all aspects of life need improvement, the feeding, water supply, schools and hospital require more support.

“It is still a surprise to us that in spite of the billions of Naira sent by the Federal Government to cater for the IDPs, things are still in terrible shape.

“I think there ought not to be anything lacking here.

“But from all indications, the camps have been turned to cash cows for some persons to amass wealth for themselves; If the money sent by the Federal Government has been given to the people on ground, things will have been different.

“Look at the school boys, they do not have shoes or books and the school is lacking many things.’’

The lawmaker, who described the hospital meant for the IDPs as “in shambles’’, added that the quality of food being served to the displaced persons was also not commensurate with Federal Government’s spending.

He said “it is time to ask questions, where is the Federal Government money going into?; that is why we are here.’’

Sani, who said that the committee would also hold a public hearing in Abuja to further get information on its assignment, noted that “we are going to write our report on what we have seen here and a public hearing will be held in Abuja, where people from IDP camps will be invited.

“The people will be invited to narrate their experiences at the IDPs camps.

“We will make sure that individuals found wanting are prosecuted, because our final findings will be tabled before the senate plenary for adoption.’’ (NAN)